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Saturday, October 18, 2008

Capellini Capricciosi

This hearty pasta comes from Lidia Bastianich whose unlikely history is the "stuff dreams are made on." Beating incredible odds, this Yugoslavian refugee become a respected restaurateur, chef and cooking instructor; her specialty - Italian food. Her programs air on PBS and, while she's not an entertainer, Lidia is a teacher and she sure can cook. Some of her recipes are outstanding. The lure of Capellini Capricciosi begins with a siren's song - the aroma of bacon. Onions are added to the pan and as they begin to caramelize the chorus swells. Just before the coda, hot pickled peppers (pepperoncini), Italian tomatoes and copious quantities of Parmigiano Reggiano are folded into the mix. A final toss with steaming capellini and a ready fork brings us very close to the one perfect bite of our quest. This is a 40 minute wonder!

Directions:1) Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until brown, about 10 minutes. Add onions and cook until golden, about 15 minutes. Add pepperoncini, tomatoes and salt and cook for 10 minutes longer.2) While sauce simmers, bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, per package directions, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking water for sauce. Toss pasta with reserved 2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir into sauce with cheese and 1/3 cup parsley. If pasta appears dry, add some reserved cooking water. Toss well to combine. Transfer to warm serving bowl. Garnish with reserved 2 tablespoons parsley. Yield: 4 servings.Food for thought...."food for me was a connecting link to my grandmother, to my childhood, to my past. And what I found out is that for everybody, food is a connector to their roots, to their past in different ways. It gives you security; it gives you a profile of who you are, where you come from." Lidia Bastianich

Isn't he beautiful, Jenny? I danced with his Mother when she was the same age to Brown Eyed Girl - on my playlist. He has her beautiful eyes and smile. I'm a lucky lady. I got to see that twice in my lifetime.

Mary, I just had to tell you... I found this recipe in my old archived folders and decided to make it tonight...it was FANTASTIC! I love the pepperoncini in it...it really brings something wonderful to the dish! I'll be posting about it next week!

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